Post by ajk on Apr 18, 2014 23:56:28 GMT -5
Noguk continues to pray, moved by the anguish she sees in her husband's eyes lately. "Bless me with a child," she prays, because she believes it's the only way to ease the pressure on her husband. (Not at all sure that's true, but she wants to do what she can.)
Back at the council meeting: Gongmin says that if nobody will volunteer to go to Yanjing, then I'll go myself! But then who should walk in but Yoo In Woo and says he'll do it. He's going to have to go through Red Turban-controlled territory, so it's a very dangerous trip. Gongmin shouldn't be trusting him at all, but in his current state he accepts the offer and thanks him, and then abruptly walks out of the meeting...
...and back to his office, where he starts ranting about how disgusted he is with the whole council and the whole situation. And here's the half-crazy laugh again.
Well, meeting's adjourned now so they all file out. But later some of them discuss the king's desire to reestablish ties with the Yuan. It's a thoroughly repulsive idea, and they'd probably have to shower Empress Gi with all kinds of lavish tributes to try to get back in her favor, but what else can they realistically do with the Red Turbans hovering at their border. Jung Se Woon thinks that "What His Majesty wishes for is to subjugate the Red Turbans by ourselves!" Which isn't realistic right now...or is it? No one is really sure what's left of them after the Yuan defeated them. Maybe a lot, maybe not so much.
The new minister Lee Saek reports to Gongmin on the rest of the meeting. Gongmin is calmer now, calm enough to see the bottom line of what Lee tells him: "All they did was talk, you're saying." Then Gongmin asks how Lee Je Hyeon is doing; we learn that Lee Je Hyeon is Lee Saek's mentor. (Doing well, Saek answers; speaks highly of his years serving Gongmin.) Gongmin says he wishes he still had Lee Je Hyeon and Pyeonjo with him. Then the Royal Preceptor's arrival is announced. Gongmin jumps up and receives Master Bou excitedly...mainly because he wants news of Pyeonjo. Bou doesn't want to tell him though; he's avoiding breaking the news that Pyeonjo basically is going to lock himself in a box for three years.
Jihyo takes Pyeonjo to the windowless hut. It's basically a shed, out in the countryside. Literally the size of a tool shed. With a small, humble statue of Buddha against one wall. There's a tiny little opening on one side at the bottom, to slide food dishes into. Without hesitation Pyeonjo walks in and kneels. Jihyo closes the door after him, and proceeds to put mud on and around the door, to minimize the amount of light entering inside. Wow it's awfully dark in there.
Now Bou is visiting the queen. She asks him to please let Pyeonjo go back to serving the king...but he came to her to ask her just the opposite--to allow Pyeonjo to do his time in the box and not interrupt him. Noguk presses Bou, saying we have to save our country; Bou counters with "Buddha's world always comes first." And more of that stuff about how nations rise and fall but Buddha is timeless.
Obviously Bou mustered up the courage to tell Gongmin, because he's sitting there stunned by the news. "Even Pyeonjo abandoned me. He must never wish to see me again."
Hey, Lee Je Hyeon! Lee Saek tells him what's been going on, and suggests that he pay the king a visit to cheer him up. No, Je Hyeon says, "I committed grave misdeeds against His Majesty. When he established the Directorate, if only I had staunchly supported Pyeonjo, our country would have finally started walking on the right path." Which is partly true but not entirely; much too much he blames himself. No, the old man says, it's time for new scholars to be brought forward and support the king.
The queen dowager is entertaining Princess Deoknyeong. And plying her for any connections she might have among the Yuan leadership. Why? She's worried that Prince Deokheung may end up on the Goryeo throne at her son's expense. Her guest smiles and tells her she has nothing to worry about. Why not? And here's a surprise: "Prince Deokheung was the son of a court maid who used to enjoy King Chungseon's favors, and who gave birth to him after marrying a Yuan man." So his pedigree isn't exactly spotless, is it. But is this well-known? And would it matter? The princess is sure that Empress Gi knows about it and would never push him for the throne...but the QD isn't willing to accept that.
Oh dear, Kim Yong is sucking up to Yoo In Woo. Has invited him over and is pouring him plenty of alcohol...and pumping up Yoo's indignation over his treatment at Gongmin's hands. Kim talks poorly of the king and is still angry about the Pyeonjo situation. And Yoo goes right along. "If I can only avenge all this contempt, I shall spare no effort!" What should I do, he asks Kim. So Kim tells him, "When you head to Yanjing, go visit Prince Deokheung first. I am preparing everything for that momentous day, so tell him that all we need is Empress Gi's consent." Wow! "Prince Gangneung will never win Empress Gi's favors again." Ugh. What a weasel.
Nighttime: Noguk has come to visit her husband...but he's not inside. He's out back, practicing his swordsmanship on a line of hay-stalk targets. At this time of night? Well, whatever..."Will you let me give it a try, this time?" Noguk walks into the yard and smiles at him. So he gives her a shot...and how about this, she nails it! Cuts off all the targets. Not as quickly or decisively as Gongmin was going, but a little more accurately. She hasn't lost it, has she.
Now they're in the plaza in front of the council hall. It's nighttime, and the darkness and stillness has reminded Gongmin of the sad night that the coffin of his young nephew King Chungjeong was brought into this very place. "I think I am starting to understand what my nephew felt." He recalls walking up to the coffin and then holding the boy's body. And we see bits of it in flashback, to show just how much the whole thing scarred Gongmin. He wonders if the boy heard whispers about him just like he's hearing whispers about Prince Deokheung. "Isn't that the same exact fate, befalling my crown? The lifeless corpse of my nephew was right there, on a carriage. And the phony tears on the courtiers' faces. 'Should you fall out of our graces, you shall lie in that coffin next.' I should have removed them all, on that very day." Says he's filled with dread whenever a meal is brought to him for fear that it's poisoned. "In no time Prince Deokheung will probably sit here, staring at my corpse and bewailing my piteous and untimely death with crocodile tears." Then he tells Noguk that he can't protect her anymore and that she should go back to Yanjing. And worse, "when Empress Gi gets rid of the Red Turbans, she will send an army here. There is no way for Goryeo to survive all this, so I must step down. Only my demise will save our people from shedding their blood in vain." By now he's on his hands and knees on the ground, sobbing. Noguk holds her husband and tells her she'll protect him. She'll oversee his food preparation and serve him calming tea. "And guard the palace all night, so that you can sleep in peace." All so you can confront these menaces and "show them your resolve." (It may sound ordinary but this was an incredible scene.)
Choseon and Park Seobang are walking through a market street, and to their dismay are seeing sellers packing up and leaving. They're afraid of a Red Turban invasion. Choseon senses an unspoken second reason, though: by creating this turmoil they can ultimately raise their prices. Then they returns home; looks like Choseon got the place rebuilt very nicely after it was wrecked. She asks if there's been any news about Pyeonjo. Nope.
Choi Young gallops into the capital and reports to Lee In Bok that the Red Turbans are preparing to cross the Amnok River. Uh-oh.
Choseon goes to Master Bou and tells him about the market being abandoned. And of wild rumors about the size of the Red Turban army...as in, maybe 200,000 or more. "Allow Pyeonjo to return," she implores him. If the Red Turbans get a foothold in this country, it could take years to get them out. But he tells her that Pyeonjo needs to do what he's doing. "Rivers of negative energy flow inside Pyeonjo's veins. Only when he abandons all that darkness and embraces his faith will this country's
Buddhism survive." And that he'll be incapable of fully serving the country until he cleanses himself. (Not a good argument; he was doing pretty well just as he was!)
Jihyo slides a meal into the shed through the small opening. Pyeonjo is still in there, dark as it is.
Lee In Bok brings the bad news to the king, about the Red Turbans. Gongmin tells him the chancellor can deal with that. No, Lee says, there isn't time for going through channels; you need to proclaim Choi Young grand marshal and give the deployment order yourself. But Gongmin doesn't want to do that because he thinks the country has to have Choi remaining in the northwest. "It's only because I have Choi Young in the Northwest and Lee Ja Chun in the Northeast, that I can still feel safe." But now THIS won't make him feel any better: Lee tells him that Lee Ja Chun is dead! Died suddenly, just recently. Gongmin immediately decides to name Choi the Chief Marshal. What else can he do, really.
Northeast army camp: We see Lee Ja Chun lying in state, his troops paying their respects to him. Seonggye tells them they'll all protect the region together and show their loyalty to Goryeo. They support him fully and cheer enthusiastically.
Now Kim Yong shows up outside the palace. And get this: he's angry and yelling because Gongmin didn't name HIM chief marshal! Demands that the job be given to him. Gongmin goes bonkers. "Why on earth did I slay Jo Il Shin and spare that man?!" Yeah, well, hindsight is 20/20, isn't it...
And now Inspector Kim is complaining about it, on the grounds that Kim Yong outranks Choi. Jung Se Woon reminds him that Kim has shown no fighting aptitude and has a history of disappearing in combat situations. Unfortunately that probably won't deter Inspector Kim.
Back outside the palace, Kim admits he doesn't have the king's trust any more. "But give me just one more chance, sire!" Then Choi, who's inside with Gongmin, offers to step aside, because "Without instructions from Lord Anseong, the army will not move a finger."
Yanjing: Empress Gi gets the news about the Red Turbans menacing Goryeo. Commissioner Park asks her whether or not she wants to send an army to help Goryeo. "Let it go," she answers, to his obvious delight. The Red Turbans will teach them a lesson and they'll "truly understand who they should be thankful to." Prince Deokheung and Choi Yu are there too and they're thrilled with her decision. But she wants Deokheung to tell her what he'll do for her if he's put on the throne. Anything, he says as he spinelessly grovels. It cracks the empress up. And wait, why is Yoo In Woo standing there and accepting this willingly, as Goryeo's envoy? That's certainly not good. Later, after the Goryeans leave, the empress complains about what a "feckless specimen" Deokheung is. "Then again, He will never beguile me like Prince Gangneung did."
Nighttime, at a Goryean border post near the Amnok River: An ambush by Red Turban forces. Well-organized and well-executed...and now they're on the move.
A few days later: News reaches the capital that at least 200,000 Red Turbans have reached Seogyeong. Even Inspector Kim questions the size of that number...but no one can question the speed they're moving at. Kim Yong jumps in and says he'll go defeat them...and then we see him galloping out of the palace gates to go do just that. We'll see.
Lee In Bok tells Gongmin that 200,000 is probably an overestimate but there likely are at least 100,000 Red Turbans. And that it's time to draft citizens and assemble an army. But Gongmin doesn't want to ask that of his suffering people and says he'll wait and see what Kim Yong accomplishes. Completely dissatisfied with that, Lee goes outside and tells Choi Young to have the officials supply their slaves for fighting, and that they'll gather citizens on their own. Back inside, Gongmin is screaming about "What did we ever do for those people to ask them to stake their lives to protect this country?! Go supplicate to Empress Gi!" He's completely lost all of his nerve.
Geumgyoyeok Barracks (an army camp north of the capital): Kim Yong has arrived and assumed command. He's supremely confident, and instructs that they'll wait to act until reinforcements arrive and that nobody should worry about the "disorderly pilferers" until then. But now word arrives that The Red Turbans took Seogyeong with shocking ease and are pillaging and murdering wildly. His subordinates--including Choi Young, who's there with him--urge immediate deployment to Seogyeong to fight. But Kim won't do it. Not without reinforcements. "Bring the Royal Guard protecting the palace if that's what it takes!" Well, no one takes that seriously enough to even make a move. Kim explodes and waves his sword at Choi...but Choi stands there with a steely glare and then walks away without a word.
A mass exodus of the capital's population. Even Won Hyeon is part of it. And inside the palace complex, officials are scattering in fear as well. They're not even offering they're slaves like they should be doing.
Inside, an intense debate over whether or not to move the king. Jung Se Woon is totally against it, concerned about its effect on the already-devastated public morale. But the others have varying opinions. Not an easy question.
Another meal through the little door to Pyeonjo. But now look who shows up out here: Choseon and Park Seobang and Choseon's head female servant (who appears to be Seobang's wife, although we've never gotten that confirmed). Jihyo tells them to go away and leave Pyeonjo alone. But they're not here to interrupt him, Choseon says; they're here escaping the invasion. Nearby, at Gaetae Temple, everyone is scurrying around to protect the temple's valuables. But then who should show up but Won Hyeon. Put all that stuff back in the temple, he shouts. "Where is Pyeonjo? We must gather a monk militia and fight! We shall protect the temple ourselves."
Yeom Je Shin, Inspector Kim, and Supervisor Gyeong are outside Gongmin's office, begging him to evacuate the capital. He refuses. He's not running away, he shouts to them through the closed door. They have bad news for him, though: "Kim Yong was defeated in Geumgyoyeok, and he is still missing." (Actually I wouldn't call that entirely bad news!) But Gongmin says he's staying nonetheless.
At the queen dowager's home, all of the furniture and valuables are being spirited to a safe place by servants. Inside, the QD is frantic at the news that her son won't evacuate.
Lee In Bok arrives outside Gongmin's office just as the three whiners are leaving, and tells them that Jung Se Woon just took the royal guard to Geumgyoyeok, so they shouldn't be leaving the capital just yet. Lee is staying loyal. From outside he urges Gongmin inside to stay where he is. Of course, the other three bitterly disagree with him, and things escalate to the point where Lee is actually grabbing Kim by the collar and shaking him and now trying to strangle him! Of course, the commotion is driving Gongmin crazy and it reduces him to tears.
Evening: Choseon has come back to the shed by herself. Tells Pyeonjo inside that the king evacuated the capital (Did he?). "We must save our country first," she implores him, trying to get him out of there and back to the government. "Tomorrow will not be too late to find enlightenment."
Yep, the king did evacuate. We see him on a horse, headed away from the capital along with the other top officials and the royal women. Headed who only knows where. But they manage to turn back and get a look at the capital from higher ground, at a distance. The Red Turbans have entered the city and hoisted their flags atop the palace gates, and are doing to the capital just what they did to Seogyeong. I'll spare the details; let's just say it ain't pretty. Gongmin's and Noguk's eyes fill with tears.
Back at the council meeting: Gongmin says that if nobody will volunteer to go to Yanjing, then I'll go myself! But then who should walk in but Yoo In Woo and says he'll do it. He's going to have to go through Red Turban-controlled territory, so it's a very dangerous trip. Gongmin shouldn't be trusting him at all, but in his current state he accepts the offer and thanks him, and then abruptly walks out of the meeting...
...and back to his office, where he starts ranting about how disgusted he is with the whole council and the whole situation. And here's the half-crazy laugh again.
Well, meeting's adjourned now so they all file out. But later some of them discuss the king's desire to reestablish ties with the Yuan. It's a thoroughly repulsive idea, and they'd probably have to shower Empress Gi with all kinds of lavish tributes to try to get back in her favor, but what else can they realistically do with the Red Turbans hovering at their border. Jung Se Woon thinks that "What His Majesty wishes for is to subjugate the Red Turbans by ourselves!" Which isn't realistic right now...or is it? No one is really sure what's left of them after the Yuan defeated them. Maybe a lot, maybe not so much.
The new minister Lee Saek reports to Gongmin on the rest of the meeting. Gongmin is calmer now, calm enough to see the bottom line of what Lee tells him: "All they did was talk, you're saying." Then Gongmin asks how Lee Je Hyeon is doing; we learn that Lee Je Hyeon is Lee Saek's mentor. (Doing well, Saek answers; speaks highly of his years serving Gongmin.) Gongmin says he wishes he still had Lee Je Hyeon and Pyeonjo with him. Then the Royal Preceptor's arrival is announced. Gongmin jumps up and receives Master Bou excitedly...mainly because he wants news of Pyeonjo. Bou doesn't want to tell him though; he's avoiding breaking the news that Pyeonjo basically is going to lock himself in a box for three years.
Jihyo takes Pyeonjo to the windowless hut. It's basically a shed, out in the countryside. Literally the size of a tool shed. With a small, humble statue of Buddha against one wall. There's a tiny little opening on one side at the bottom, to slide food dishes into. Without hesitation Pyeonjo walks in and kneels. Jihyo closes the door after him, and proceeds to put mud on and around the door, to minimize the amount of light entering inside. Wow it's awfully dark in there.
Now Bou is visiting the queen. She asks him to please let Pyeonjo go back to serving the king...but he came to her to ask her just the opposite--to allow Pyeonjo to do his time in the box and not interrupt him. Noguk presses Bou, saying we have to save our country; Bou counters with "Buddha's world always comes first." And more of that stuff about how nations rise and fall but Buddha is timeless.
Obviously Bou mustered up the courage to tell Gongmin, because he's sitting there stunned by the news. "Even Pyeonjo abandoned me. He must never wish to see me again."
Hey, Lee Je Hyeon! Lee Saek tells him what's been going on, and suggests that he pay the king a visit to cheer him up. No, Je Hyeon says, "I committed grave misdeeds against His Majesty. When he established the Directorate, if only I had staunchly supported Pyeonjo, our country would have finally started walking on the right path." Which is partly true but not entirely; much too much he blames himself. No, the old man says, it's time for new scholars to be brought forward and support the king.
The queen dowager is entertaining Princess Deoknyeong. And plying her for any connections she might have among the Yuan leadership. Why? She's worried that Prince Deokheung may end up on the Goryeo throne at her son's expense. Her guest smiles and tells her she has nothing to worry about. Why not? And here's a surprise: "Prince Deokheung was the son of a court maid who used to enjoy King Chungseon's favors, and who gave birth to him after marrying a Yuan man." So his pedigree isn't exactly spotless, is it. But is this well-known? And would it matter? The princess is sure that Empress Gi knows about it and would never push him for the throne...but the QD isn't willing to accept that.
Oh dear, Kim Yong is sucking up to Yoo In Woo. Has invited him over and is pouring him plenty of alcohol...and pumping up Yoo's indignation over his treatment at Gongmin's hands. Kim talks poorly of the king and is still angry about the Pyeonjo situation. And Yoo goes right along. "If I can only avenge all this contempt, I shall spare no effort!" What should I do, he asks Kim. So Kim tells him, "When you head to Yanjing, go visit Prince Deokheung first. I am preparing everything for that momentous day, so tell him that all we need is Empress Gi's consent." Wow! "Prince Gangneung will never win Empress Gi's favors again." Ugh. What a weasel.
Nighttime: Noguk has come to visit her husband...but he's not inside. He's out back, practicing his swordsmanship on a line of hay-stalk targets. At this time of night? Well, whatever..."Will you let me give it a try, this time?" Noguk walks into the yard and smiles at him. So he gives her a shot...and how about this, she nails it! Cuts off all the targets. Not as quickly or decisively as Gongmin was going, but a little more accurately. She hasn't lost it, has she.
Now they're in the plaza in front of the council hall. It's nighttime, and the darkness and stillness has reminded Gongmin of the sad night that the coffin of his young nephew King Chungjeong was brought into this very place. "I think I am starting to understand what my nephew felt." He recalls walking up to the coffin and then holding the boy's body. And we see bits of it in flashback, to show just how much the whole thing scarred Gongmin. He wonders if the boy heard whispers about him just like he's hearing whispers about Prince Deokheung. "Isn't that the same exact fate, befalling my crown? The lifeless corpse of my nephew was right there, on a carriage. And the phony tears on the courtiers' faces. 'Should you fall out of our graces, you shall lie in that coffin next.' I should have removed them all, on that very day." Says he's filled with dread whenever a meal is brought to him for fear that it's poisoned. "In no time Prince Deokheung will probably sit here, staring at my corpse and bewailing my piteous and untimely death with crocodile tears." Then he tells Noguk that he can't protect her anymore and that she should go back to Yanjing. And worse, "when Empress Gi gets rid of the Red Turbans, she will send an army here. There is no way for Goryeo to survive all this, so I must step down. Only my demise will save our people from shedding their blood in vain." By now he's on his hands and knees on the ground, sobbing. Noguk holds her husband and tells her she'll protect him. She'll oversee his food preparation and serve him calming tea. "And guard the palace all night, so that you can sleep in peace." All so you can confront these menaces and "show them your resolve." (It may sound ordinary but this was an incredible scene.)
Choseon and Park Seobang are walking through a market street, and to their dismay are seeing sellers packing up and leaving. They're afraid of a Red Turban invasion. Choseon senses an unspoken second reason, though: by creating this turmoil they can ultimately raise their prices. Then they returns home; looks like Choseon got the place rebuilt very nicely after it was wrecked. She asks if there's been any news about Pyeonjo. Nope.
Choi Young gallops into the capital and reports to Lee In Bok that the Red Turbans are preparing to cross the Amnok River. Uh-oh.
Choseon goes to Master Bou and tells him about the market being abandoned. And of wild rumors about the size of the Red Turban army...as in, maybe 200,000 or more. "Allow Pyeonjo to return," she implores him. If the Red Turbans get a foothold in this country, it could take years to get them out. But he tells her that Pyeonjo needs to do what he's doing. "Rivers of negative energy flow inside Pyeonjo's veins. Only when he abandons all that darkness and embraces his faith will this country's
Buddhism survive." And that he'll be incapable of fully serving the country until he cleanses himself. (Not a good argument; he was doing pretty well just as he was!)
Jihyo slides a meal into the shed through the small opening. Pyeonjo is still in there, dark as it is.
Lee In Bok brings the bad news to the king, about the Red Turbans. Gongmin tells him the chancellor can deal with that. No, Lee says, there isn't time for going through channels; you need to proclaim Choi Young grand marshal and give the deployment order yourself. But Gongmin doesn't want to do that because he thinks the country has to have Choi remaining in the northwest. "It's only because I have Choi Young in the Northwest and Lee Ja Chun in the Northeast, that I can still feel safe." But now THIS won't make him feel any better: Lee tells him that Lee Ja Chun is dead! Died suddenly, just recently. Gongmin immediately decides to name Choi the Chief Marshal. What else can he do, really.
Northeast army camp: We see Lee Ja Chun lying in state, his troops paying their respects to him. Seonggye tells them they'll all protect the region together and show their loyalty to Goryeo. They support him fully and cheer enthusiastically.
Now Kim Yong shows up outside the palace. And get this: he's angry and yelling because Gongmin didn't name HIM chief marshal! Demands that the job be given to him. Gongmin goes bonkers. "Why on earth did I slay Jo Il Shin and spare that man?!" Yeah, well, hindsight is 20/20, isn't it...
And now Inspector Kim is complaining about it, on the grounds that Kim Yong outranks Choi. Jung Se Woon reminds him that Kim has shown no fighting aptitude and has a history of disappearing in combat situations. Unfortunately that probably won't deter Inspector Kim.
Back outside the palace, Kim admits he doesn't have the king's trust any more. "But give me just one more chance, sire!" Then Choi, who's inside with Gongmin, offers to step aside, because "Without instructions from Lord Anseong, the army will not move a finger."
Yanjing: Empress Gi gets the news about the Red Turbans menacing Goryeo. Commissioner Park asks her whether or not she wants to send an army to help Goryeo. "Let it go," she answers, to his obvious delight. The Red Turbans will teach them a lesson and they'll "truly understand who they should be thankful to." Prince Deokheung and Choi Yu are there too and they're thrilled with her decision. But she wants Deokheung to tell her what he'll do for her if he's put on the throne. Anything, he says as he spinelessly grovels. It cracks the empress up. And wait, why is Yoo In Woo standing there and accepting this willingly, as Goryeo's envoy? That's certainly not good. Later, after the Goryeans leave, the empress complains about what a "feckless specimen" Deokheung is. "Then again, He will never beguile me like Prince Gangneung did."
Nighttime, at a Goryean border post near the Amnok River: An ambush by Red Turban forces. Well-organized and well-executed...and now they're on the move.
A few days later: News reaches the capital that at least 200,000 Red Turbans have reached Seogyeong. Even Inspector Kim questions the size of that number...but no one can question the speed they're moving at. Kim Yong jumps in and says he'll go defeat them...and then we see him galloping out of the palace gates to go do just that. We'll see.
Lee In Bok tells Gongmin that 200,000 is probably an overestimate but there likely are at least 100,000 Red Turbans. And that it's time to draft citizens and assemble an army. But Gongmin doesn't want to ask that of his suffering people and says he'll wait and see what Kim Yong accomplishes. Completely dissatisfied with that, Lee goes outside and tells Choi Young to have the officials supply their slaves for fighting, and that they'll gather citizens on their own. Back inside, Gongmin is screaming about "What did we ever do for those people to ask them to stake their lives to protect this country?! Go supplicate to Empress Gi!" He's completely lost all of his nerve.
Geumgyoyeok Barracks (an army camp north of the capital): Kim Yong has arrived and assumed command. He's supremely confident, and instructs that they'll wait to act until reinforcements arrive and that nobody should worry about the "disorderly pilferers" until then. But now word arrives that The Red Turbans took Seogyeong with shocking ease and are pillaging and murdering wildly. His subordinates--including Choi Young, who's there with him--urge immediate deployment to Seogyeong to fight. But Kim won't do it. Not without reinforcements. "Bring the Royal Guard protecting the palace if that's what it takes!" Well, no one takes that seriously enough to even make a move. Kim explodes and waves his sword at Choi...but Choi stands there with a steely glare and then walks away without a word.
A mass exodus of the capital's population. Even Won Hyeon is part of it. And inside the palace complex, officials are scattering in fear as well. They're not even offering they're slaves like they should be doing.
Inside, an intense debate over whether or not to move the king. Jung Se Woon is totally against it, concerned about its effect on the already-devastated public morale. But the others have varying opinions. Not an easy question.
Another meal through the little door to Pyeonjo. But now look who shows up out here: Choseon and Park Seobang and Choseon's head female servant (who appears to be Seobang's wife, although we've never gotten that confirmed). Jihyo tells them to go away and leave Pyeonjo alone. But they're not here to interrupt him, Choseon says; they're here escaping the invasion. Nearby, at Gaetae Temple, everyone is scurrying around to protect the temple's valuables. But then who should show up but Won Hyeon. Put all that stuff back in the temple, he shouts. "Where is Pyeonjo? We must gather a monk militia and fight! We shall protect the temple ourselves."
Yeom Je Shin, Inspector Kim, and Supervisor Gyeong are outside Gongmin's office, begging him to evacuate the capital. He refuses. He's not running away, he shouts to them through the closed door. They have bad news for him, though: "Kim Yong was defeated in Geumgyoyeok, and he is still missing." (Actually I wouldn't call that entirely bad news!) But Gongmin says he's staying nonetheless.
At the queen dowager's home, all of the furniture and valuables are being spirited to a safe place by servants. Inside, the QD is frantic at the news that her son won't evacuate.
Lee In Bok arrives outside Gongmin's office just as the three whiners are leaving, and tells them that Jung Se Woon just took the royal guard to Geumgyoyeok, so they shouldn't be leaving the capital just yet. Lee is staying loyal. From outside he urges Gongmin inside to stay where he is. Of course, the other three bitterly disagree with him, and things escalate to the point where Lee is actually grabbing Kim by the collar and shaking him and now trying to strangle him! Of course, the commotion is driving Gongmin crazy and it reduces him to tears.
Evening: Choseon has come back to the shed by herself. Tells Pyeonjo inside that the king evacuated the capital (Did he?). "We must save our country first," she implores him, trying to get him out of there and back to the government. "Tomorrow will not be too late to find enlightenment."
Yep, the king did evacuate. We see him on a horse, headed away from the capital along with the other top officials and the royal women. Headed who only knows where. But they manage to turn back and get a look at the capital from higher ground, at a distance. The Red Turbans have entered the city and hoisted their flags atop the palace gates, and are doing to the capital just what they did to Seogyeong. I'll spare the details; let's just say it ain't pretty. Gongmin's and Noguk's eyes fill with tears.